any advice for Falco thats hard to start

[SkinnyPinny]

evening all,
my falco, ( K&N, SL carbon cans, SL carbon chip, wire clipped )
been like that for years, with no problem,
it has decided to be a b*stard to start over the last week or so,
it has been used regulary and nice long journeys, plugs were renewed about 6 months ago, so they should be OK

its starts luverly when its hot, but when its cold;
I put on some choke, no throttle, and it coughs splutters and tries to spit the sprag out,
sounds f8cking awful so I know that needs looking at, !!!

if it dont 'catch' in the first few seconds, the only way I can start it is to have the throttle wide open and no choke,
as I say, when its warm, its starts fine, the last lot of petrol was BP, not cheap supermarket fuel.

things I have done:
I checked the TPS, attached the 2 wires under the seat, and switched on, dash says 0
checked with vacuum gauges, both cylinders the same,
so, anyone any suggestions,? am I overlooking somthing stoopid.?
the only thing I have noticed, is that the choke cable was loose at the adjuster-locknut where it attaches under tha tank.
I tightened it back up and it seems to work, in that when its running, you can rev it with the choke, if you see what i mean, any secrets to setting that choke cable ?

thanks for any suggestions, SP

[SkinnyPinny]

oh poop, just found a posting by Pierre, http://www.apriliaridersite.com/viewtop ... ight=sprag
very similar, just before the sprag gave up,
oh poooooooop

[Falcopops]

Don't panic as they say in the hitch hikers guide, well not yet anyway.

The battery may be the issue, somethimes they just get old and give up a bit.

From the checks you've already done there doesn't seem like a good reason for it not to start, maybe try full "choke" and see how it goes.

Which colour is yours? red and black are more prone to the sprag issue.

Although if it sounds like a bag of bolts then the sprag could well be the issue and you'd want to get it fixed before loose bit's of metal fuck up something else.

[joecrx]

id put a new battery in first, i think thats the problem , you dont get a good spark when the battery is low and turning the starter

[damci]

Check the battery first it could simply need charging up or replacing. Also has the starter solenoid been upgraded to a 150amp? ..another worthwhile mod.

[markymark]

Not that it helps you much, but I'm pretty sure that the choke isn't a choke, it's a fast idle and all it does is hold the throttle a bit. The Falco's fuel injected, so all mixture adjustments are done by the ECU box of tricks. This takes control of mixture out of your control....

[D-Rider]

Not that it helps you much, but I'm pretty sure that the choke isn't a choke, it's a fast idle and all it does is hold the throttle a bit. The Falco's fuel injected, so all mixture adjustments are done by the ECU box of tricks. This takes control of mixture out of your control....

Correct

..... although low throttle opening mixture is also affected by the air bleed screws on the TBs and the trim pots on the ECU.


Another thing worth checking is that your plugs are clean and correctly gapped - particularly if your battery is not as good as it could be, you want to get the best sparks possible.

[HowardQ]

For the last 6 years mine has always started first time on full choke and no throttle, instantly backing off the choke after it fires up, to leave it ticking over about 2000 (or less) eventually, until it warms up to show a reading on the TEMP display.
Only problems have been when the battery has been low or needed replacing.
Mever use half choke and some throttle.
Actually the choke is not really a choke it is more of a hand throttle.
Never try it with a battery with a low charge unless you like replacing the sprag!
Otherwise, as others have said!

[Willopotomas]

The choke isn't a choke? That doesn't sound right..lol.. What a choke does is restrict air flow and pull in more petrol, or open another jet to allow more petrol in to the mix. The way modern systems work is to allow the injectors to pass more fuel than air, rather than blocking or opening valves n' jets..

Of course there may be some other wonderful way they do things these day's.. But it's happened in the last few years if it has..

[anzacinexile]

The choke isn't a choke? That doesn't sound right..lol.. What a choke does is restrict air flow and pull in more petrol, or open another jet to allow more petrol in to the mix. The way modern systems work is to allow the injectors to pass more fuel than air, rather than blocking or opening valves n' jets..

Of course there may be some other wonderful way they do things these day's.. But it's happened in the last few years if it has..

Modern FI's are a lot simpler than that. The ECU measures a whole bunch of parameters and one of the chief ones is engine temp - the colder the engine, the longer the injectors open and hence more fuel.

All our "chokes" do is crack the butterflies a tad, the ECU takes care of everything else.

Mind you, ours a pretty simple as FI's goes. The other 'arfs SV1000 goes one better and even automates the tickover via a second set of butterflies so all she does is press the button and the 'lectronics do the rest

[Willopotomas]

clever sod's ent they.. whatever next.. Radios and wine coolers next i suppose..

[anzacinexile]

Whats next

I think that SkinnyPinny would like an ECU that tells him in plain English why his bluddy bike wont start

[Gio]

clever sod's ent they.. whatever next.. Radios and wine coolers next i suppose..

As long as you're not talking FM, cos thats history soon.

[SkinnyPinny]

thanks for all the replies,
update time:
left work at 7 tonight, and it would not start at all,
after a few attempts, a few coughs and splutters, then.......
click click click
click click click
only solenoid clicks, the clocks did eventually start resetting etc, took a lot of tries before that happened.
so, call the AA , he says the battery is Ok, (fitted in March 09, also has the extra wire mod) and he tried booster on it,
I was not too sure about that, but beyond caring,
still only solenoid clicks, the engine is not turning at all, so we loaded it on the back and off we went.
got in at 11:00 and had a 'last try'
when i press the starter, i hear the solenoid click, but there is also a whirr while I am holding the button,
I am assuming this is the sprag not gripping the fly wheel,
so there we go, off to the local Aprilia dealers for a fly wheel puller,
ebay for a ducati sprag-probably, SP

[D-Rider]

If you're getting the click click click, then, despite what the AA man says, I don't think your battery is in the greatest of health - though check the terminals are tight.

Sprag not sounding good though ....